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It's an effort to show the Trump administration how much immigrants contribute to the country's economy as the President continues his tough stances on immigration.

And while many immigrants and business owners refused to work in an act of solidarity, others marked the event in more unorthodox ways. Here are some of their stories:

Restaurant workers do 'double the work' in advance

Matt Carr, owner of the Little Red Fox restaurant in Washington, D.C., had no problem letting his immigrant employees strike -- even though they're vital to his business.

"We have three prep cooks on strike today for 'A Day Without Immigrants.' They are all parents worried about their families and futures," Carr told CNN.

But before those workers went on strike, they made sure the business was taken care of.

"Dear Matt, kale salad is ready," the protesters wrote on a note for their boss. "Fruit salad just needs blueberries + mint. Oranges are cut. Thank you, The ladies of the kitchen."

Carr said he appreciates the dedication of his employees.

"We're a very small business, and without them we would not be able to open today," he said. "They not only gave me a heads-up about the strike, but did double the work yesterday, so we would be in good shape today."

Carr said he's "holding down the fort" by also washing dishes and preparing food. He said his business would fall apart without his immigrant employees, who come from Venezuela and Guatemala.

"Immigrants are the backbone of this country and the heart and soul of the service industry," he said. "Without them, our small businesses would crumble. They are also part of our family here at Little Red Fox, and I, too, am worried about their future under this administration."

Nervous employee asks bosses to join in

As the daughter of Mexican immigrants, Eunice Arcos wanted to join the strike Thursday. So the night before, Arcos said, she nervously texted her bosses at Makeup On The Go Cosmetics in Dallas, asking whether they would join her in solidarity.

They granted her wish.

"We will be closed tomorrow!" her bosses responded.

The college student broadcast the support from her employer on Twitter.

"My heart is so happy!" Arcos tweeted.

She told CNN her parents came from Mexico City 35 years ago, and that her entire family was on strike.

"My parents were once immigrants, so it was really important to be part of this boycott," she said.

Customer: Nothing can replace immigrants

Every Tuesday and Thursday for the past five years, Hiba Hamwi picks up breakfast at Pan American Bakery in Roslynn, Virginia. The full-time student said the cheese empanadas make her 8 a.m. class "so much less dreadful."

But this Thursday morning, a sign at the bakery read, "Thursday is going to be closed."

Hamwi said the strike made her think about the importance of immigrants in her life.

"Hispanic food is my all-time favorite, and not being able to have it is just tragic," she told CNN. "I don't think anything could replace (immigrants) and how great different cultures are."

DC restaurant supports boycott -- by staying open

Just over a mile from the White House, the upscale restaurant Unum supported the boycott by keeping its doors open.

"Unum strongly support 'day without immigrants' & after discussing with our staff we will be OPEN," the restaurant's Instagram page said.

"We feel our customers should gain first hand knowledge and realize how important, hard working and dedicated our immigrant staff work every day and what it is like without them. E Pluribus Unum -- From Many, One."

New York: Immigrant business owners unite with immigrant employees

Manhattan's Dough doughnut shop shut down not just because the immigrant employees went on strike, but because the business owners are immigrants, too.

"Please note that we will be closed on Thursday February 16th in support of our immigrant staff's desire & right to protest and be part of "A day without immigrant strike," the owners posted on a sign.

"As immigrant business owners, we proudly stand in solidarity."

Customer Z. Hernandez visits the Dough several times a week and was surprised by the sign. But she said she supports the owners' decision.

"It made me proud to support a business that is standing up for such an important cause," she said.

Restaurant industry could be devastated

While a wide array of businesses feel the impact of losing immigrant workers for a day, the restaurant industry would be crippled without them.

In 2015, 7.1 million restaurant workers in the US were immigrants, compared to 5.1 million workers who were native-born, according to the most recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As for undocumented workers, an analysis by Pew Research found that about 1.1 million of the restaurant industry's workers were undocumented in 2014. That makes restaurants second only to construction when it comes to relying on undocumented workers.

Museum removes every piece of art created by immigrants

Starting today and lasting through President's Day weekend, all work created or donated by immigrants will no longer be displayed The Davis Museum at Wellesley College in Massachusetts

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Instead, curators will drape black cloth over cases, and line the walls with labels that say "Created by an immigrant."

They are calling the initiative: "Art-Less." And it's meant to highlight immigrants' impact, even in the world of art.

"We have removed or cloaked these works to demonstrate symbolically what the Davis Museum would look like without their contributions to our collections and to Wellesley College, and to thereby honor their many invaluable gifts," the museum said.

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One of the main works missing is the portrait of George Washington.

Not only was the painting created by Adolf Ulrik Wertmüller, an immigrant who came to the US in the 1790s, but the work was also donated to the Davis Museum by an immigrant family.

The museum says approximately 20 percent of the work in its permanent galleries were either created or donated by immigrants.